There will be a double-dose of heavyweights at the The Ultimate Fighter 16’s Finale, as another encounter of big men has been added to the card with agreements in place for a bout pitting popular striker Pat Barry against Shane Del Rosario.
The UFC confirmed that the matchup would take place on the Dec. 15 show, which will take place at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It will of course be headlined by a long-simmering grudge match between season 16 coaches Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson.
When they meet, both Barry and Del Rosario will be looking to avoid two-fight losing streaks.
Barry most recently competed in May, when he suffered a first-round TKO loss at the hands of slugger Lavar Johnson. Though he remains a fan favorite due to his gregarious personality and aggressive fight style, Barry (7-5) could be facing a UFC career crossroads, having lost three of his last four, all by finish.
In Del Rosario, he’ll be facing a well-rounded opponent who has the bulk of his wins by knockout. The Californian made his UFC debut in May, losing in a second-round TKO to prospect Stipe Miocic. That was the first loss in his career, as he fell to 11-1.
The TUF 16 Finale is shaping up nicely, as the UFC has populated it with other intriguing matchups including a featherweight bout between Dustin Poirier and Jonathan Brookins and an encounter between streaking welterweights Mike Pyle and James Head. And of course, it will also feature the finals of the season 16 tournament finals.